Vacuum device



' Patented Nov. 28,1939- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Divided and this application Novemher 1, 1930, Serial No. 109,693

2 Claims. '(01. 15-155) My invention relates to vacuum device. The object is to provide improved means for delivering air under pressure to the surface to be cleaned, in combination with the usual suction means.

By air under pressure is meant compressed air or air under pressure above atmosphere.

The invention comprises improved means for delivering the air under pressure to the surface to be cleaned, in close proximity to the area upon which the suction is applied.

The invention also comprises means for delivering said air under pressure through a nozzle adapted to vibrate, due to its engagement with the surface to be cleaned, and continuously throughout the entire movement oi the device. either forward or backward, over the surface t be cleaned.

The object of this vibrating, or up and down, movement of the air discharge nozzle and 01' the air discharging therefrom into the material, is to create a disturbance or agitation of the dust or dirt in the material to be cleaned. to cooperate with the suction action and thus to secure a more thorough and complete cleaning of the article, such as carpet, rug or other fabric usually found in house furnishings.

The action of the continuous discharge of the air under pressure in lines perpendicular to the surface of the material. causes, in combination with the suction, a deeper penetration of the cleaning action, than is secured by the suction The invention also includes means whereby the area subjected to the influence of suction may be surrounded by an area subject to the projection of air under pressure, and also whereby the area subjected to the projection 'of air under-pressure is surrounded by an area subjected to the suction, or the suction area may both surround and be surrounded by air pressure areas.

Means areprovided' whereby a pressure discharge nozzle may becapable of up and down movement, while another nozzle .or discharge vent may be flxed relatively to the suction nozzlepassage or passages 8 surrounding or flanking lo the nozzle 8. Said passage or passages are in communication at one end with the nipple 9, adapted for connection with a source of air under pressure, not shown. This passage or these passages 8 deliver to a number of air dis- 1. charge vents ill, arranged in approximately the plane of the intake end of the suction nozzle '8, so that said vents I0, either surround or flank the said suction nozzle.

Within the suction passage ll, leading from 90 the suction nozzle end 6 to the outflow nozzle I, is mounted the hollow shaft l2, stepped at ,one end in the threaded block II and journaled at the other 'end in the threaded bearing block II. This shaft has a projection or nipple ii for 5 connection with a source of air under pressure I not shown. A collar i6 is provided on shaftl2 adapted to bear against the bearing block ll,

so that the parts may be held in proper operaward and downwardly projecting end, in -a discharge nozzle ll. This nozzle end i8 is shown as provided with the row of air discharge vents it, which are surrounded by the suction nozzle 8.

A spring 20 is secured at one end to the wall of the suction passage, with its free end in pressure-engagement with the channeled member ii.

The discharge end or nozzle I8 of channeled. member I! is also provided with a number of shoes 2| in spaced relationship, having rounded under. sides, to i'acilitate the travel of the nozzle over the surface to be -cleaned.

A stop12- isprovided within the body 5 for limiting the downward movement of the channeled member I I. This stop is so proportioned and positioned as normally to maintain the disso charge end of nozzle ll slightly below the plane of the surrounding margin of the suction nozzle I.

The nozzle end of body I is provided with a substantial marginal flange 23 surrounding the intake mouth of the nozzle, and also the vents ll from the discharge vents, so that the flow therefrom .will be through a substantial part of the material to the suction passage ll.

The operation of the device is as follows:

when the device is operated, the nozzle 8 and passage iiwillbe under suction or below atmospheric pressure, while vents in and passage 8 will be under pressure above atmosphere. The vents it of nozzle l8, and the passage in channel member II will also be under pressure above atmosphere.

While the device or chambered body 5 is moved to and fro,or forward and backward, over the surface to be cleaned, the suction through nozzle 8,. will tend to remove dirt and other foreign matter from the surface operated upon. The removing action however, of a normal or moderate suction, will be effective only on the surface or for a very limited extent below the surface of the material, depending of course somewhat upon the nature of the material or fabric operated upon. If, on the other hand, the suction is abnormal or too effective, it will tend to cause the device to cling to the said surface and make it difficult to move the same in the usual way, and in the case of loose rugs or the like the same are distorted or displaced by the movement of the device over the same.

In accordance with the present invention these difliculties are to a large extent, if not entirely, overcome.

In accordance with the example illustrated in the drawing, air under any desired pressure above atmosphere is projected in streams or jets from the rows of vents Ill and I9. These jets or streams obviously penetrate deeply into the texture of the material, especially if the material is of any substantial thickness, as in oriental rugs or velvet or similar fabrics. As this compressed air is confined within the flange 23 of the body Ii, it naturally seeks thepath of least resistance, that is to the suction nozzle 8. We thus secure an effective push and pull upon the dirt and foreign matter in the fabric or upon the surface to be cleaned in place of the simple suction which is employed by the present type of suction cleaner.

The projection of the compressed airorairunder pressure into the fabric tends in itself to loosen or separate the dirt from the fibers of the fabric and to blow it in the direction of least resistance and the suction acting thereon facilitates this movement. In otherwords the combined actionof the continuous discharge of compressed air into the fabric, and the continuous withdrawal therefrom of said air and the dirt mixed therewith, by suction, results in an extremely effective cleaning operation.

It will also be noted that the pivoted channeled member l1, having the discharge nozzle I8 is spring controlled to hold the nozzle end firmly pressed against the surface to be cleaned, so that the effective projection of air into the fabric is assured. It will be noted that this pressure of the nozzle upon the fabric is a yielding pressure to permit the nozzle to ride easily over obstrucarea-rev tions such as scams or tufts'in the fabric while maintaining a continuous contact and a con-- tinuous discharge of air into the fabric. The slight oscillation'or up and down movement of the nozzle also tends to increase the agitation of the dirt by the varying impulsesof the compressed all. I

It will be understood that-while a spring control is considered the preferable means for securing the yielding pressure of the nozzle, a gravity actuation might in some cases be employed.

While I have shown the combination of two sets of airprojecting vents Ill and I9, it will be understood that either set of vents may be employed with useful results without the other set.

It will therefore be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of construction shown, as these may be varied within the scope of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

l. A vacuum device comprising a chambered body having a suction nozzle having the margin of its intake opening extending in a horizontal plane, and a suction passage leading from said nozzle and having a horizontally extending portion, a compressed air discharge nozzle-member pivotally mounted within the horizontal portion of said suction passage, and at a point laterally removed from the suction nozzle end, said air discharge nozzle member being provided with a discharge orifice having the entire margin in a substantially horizontal plane and adapted for constant and yielding engagement with a surface to be cleaned and adapted to discharge compressed air to said surface in direction approximately vertical to the plane of said surface, actuating means for normally urging said compressed air nozzle against said surface and limiting means for preventing the downward motion of said discharge nozzle appreciably below the plane of said surface.

2. A vacuum device comprising a chambered body having a suction nozzle having the margin of its intake opening extending in a horizontal plane, and a suction passage leading from said nozzle, and having a horizontally extending portion, a compressed air discharge nozzle-member pivotally mounted within the horizontal portion of said suction passage and at a point laterally removed from the suction nozzle end, said air discharge nozzle member being provided with a discharge orifice having the entire margin in a substantially horizontal plane and adapted for constant and yielding engagement with a surface to be cleaned and adapted to discharge compressed air to said surface in direction approximately vertical to the plane of said surface, actuating means for normally urging said compressed air nozzle against said surface and limiting means for preventing the downward motion of said dischange nozzle appreciably below the plane of said surface, said chambered body also formed with a compressed air passage and front and rear dis- 

